"Do You Mark Your Reference Books?" Topic

If I looked at the books in your reference library, would I know they belonged to you?

* yes, I put my name in them
* yes, I stamp them with my identity
* no
etc.

Yes I put my name in them. But no more.

And I'm not buying any more since the advent of the internet.

No

Yes, I put my name in them. But no more.

Yes, sometimes with a post-it note.

No.

No. Had in past, but decided not to more recently. Hate to write in a book in any way.

No. Not a fan of writing in books.

No – never, not a mark in them.

A few years ago, my favorite local book store had over 100 Osprey books in the free bin. I picked out about 5 of them and then looked inside. Every one had massive amounts of underlined text. I posted here about it under the title "Joy turns to ash".

Never. When a new book arrives, I protect the dustjacket with a BroadArt cover. If the book is used I clean / repair the dustjacket before installing the cover.

No sir.

Yes, every one of them has dozens of little book marks poking out of the top. All marked with things like "Par 3 – Ammo usage", "Line 17-22, route march", "Pic, CoA H.St.F, Crecy". all to aid and speed up my searches.

Only the ones signed by their authors, you know the kind of thing, "To James….Happy Reading….", etc.

No.

No

No.

Never

Long ago I did with my AD&D books, putting my name inside the cover.
I don't do that any more.

Except for text for school/college, I've never marked up any books that weren't workbooks, coloring books, and the like. I do use Post-it notes and tabs inside rulebooks as pointers to important passages and charts, or with clarifications noted.

Guess it was too long instilled in me not to "damage" a book. But really, if it's my book which I won't be giving or selling, why shouldn't I make margin notes in it? That's what the great scholars of long ago all did.

Do I mark them? Yes, I score them for technical expertise and artistic expression…

No, but I've seriously thought about doing it.

Jim

I grew up with a different message for each of the two main types of books: the first, books that are to be preserved for religious, sentimental, aesthetic, or other reasons (like because they belong to someone else), and the second, books that are tools.

So, e.g., my King James Bible and Bhagavad Gita are pretty marked up from when I studied them in college, and my inexpensive Lovecraft and Cherryh and other paperbacks don't even have ex libris labels.

I do, but with office supplies like repositionable bookmarks and removable tabs. Nothing permanent.

Only the ones signed by their authors, you know the kind of thing, "To James….Happy Reading

My thinking exactly.

No…because I'm not a monster…

Reference Books – No

Rule Books – Absolutely. I've had too many "walk away" during conventions.

No way. Some are hard to find now and worth more unmarked. Although I am unlikely to sell.

Rules books and charts yes. Reference books no. Many of mine are rare, collectable and expensive. So I don't want to ruin the value by writing in them. I don't do it in my Osprey type books either.

If I did want to put some recognition of ownership in one of my more valued books, it would be a classic book plate. Some books are more valuable just by the venture of its provenance. To see a well known book collectors plate affixed to the inside of a book can up its value. But I am not one of those so no bookplates or writing in my books.